DOWNFALL OF MORMONISM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 237, 13 August 1879, Page 2

DOWNFALL OF MORMONISM.

We extract tho following from the New York Tribune of June 11, just to hand by the Frisco Mail;— Time and the Pacific Railroad are doing their work in Utah. The steady advance of population toward the spot—and beyond it—which Brigham Young, with far from prophetic foresight, selected as a' aafe refuge from all the world; the incessant and powerful reiterations of the newspaper press; and all the thousand-and-ono iufluences which are diffused by the progress of a practical and decent civilization, have steadily and—it may almost be said—rapidly undermined the institution of polygamy. It is but little more than thirty years since the Mormons themselves were so ashamed of this doctrine that they formally disavowed it, while some of their number had secretly adopted it. It is less than thirty years since they grew bold enough to declare it as one of the foundation principles of their church, It is within the same period that the Judges of the United States fled from Utah in dread of the violence which the tongue of Brigham Young promised, and would have invoked if they had remained. It is but little more than twenty years since the glitter of Mormon bowie-knives in the court room at Salt Lake City sent a United States Judge again flying out of the Territory. And yet we read that on Saturday a Mormon was convicted of bigamy, whojc conviction was obtained in spite of great efforts to prevent it, and the first that has been hadsince the law of 1860 was enacted. We read, also, the pleasant news that he is probably by this time on his way to the Penitentiary at Detroit. It may be well enough add that this not the first sentence imposed for polygamous practices, though it is probably the first effective one. Chief Justice McKean, whose judicial raid agaiust Mormonisn some years since will still be remembered, sentenced a polygamistto three years imprisonment; but the whole movement was based upon a fanciful and absurd theory as to the powers of his Court, which the United States Supreme Court brushed away like so much cobweb. This may be regarded therefore as the first conviction of a Mormon. There is some talk already, it seems, of endeavouring to secure a pardon for the man, on the usual plea of" hardship," " first sentence under the law," etc. We hopeandbelieve thatno suchargument will influence the President for a moment. The man who lives openly in disobedience of a statute which has been in force seventeen years, knows what he is about. Every polygamist in Utah deserves all the penalties the law can inflict. Law has triumphed over barbarism at last Now lets its reign be undisturbed.